Wrist watch strap



I L. A. TRUCKENMILLER WRIST WATCH STRAP Filed Aug. 3, 1945 o m m! m w.n% E i -L H M u v a m L 3 Patented May 10, 1949 WRIST WATCH STRAP LymanA. Truckenmiller, Sonora, Calif., assignor of sixty per cent to DouglasPincock, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Application August 3, 1945, Serial No. 608,665

3 Claims.

My present invention has to do with improvements in wrist watch bands,having as an object the provision of a band capable of being made ofstrips such as of metal or plastic and embodying novel self -lockingmeans.

Another object is the provision of an economical and extremely durablewrist watch band capable of being readily applied to and removed fromthe wrist and which may be worn with maximum comfort.

Another object is the provision of a wrist watch band having lock meanswhich may be readily permanently adjusted to adapt it to fit any givensize of wrist.

Another object is ot provide, in conjunction with the main lockingmeans, a pair of safetylock features.

Another object is the provision of a wristwatch band having novelreinforcing means which also serves to retain the segments againstswinging sideways relative to each other.

It is a well known fact that conventional wrist watch bands for the mostpart possess some rather serious shortcomings from the standpoint ofpractical use. Leather and plastic bands wear relatively rapidly,necessitating frequent replacement, and although bands have beenproposed, they have lacked any eflicient means for securing the bandabout the wrist. My present invention successfully overcomes theseshortcomings.

The invention possesses still further objects which will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of a presently preferredembodiment, for which purpose I shall refer to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view taken on line 2 2 of Fig- Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view show- 1 ing the parts inanother position effecting a safety lock;

Fig. 5 is another fragmentary elevational view showing the band in stillanother safety-locking position;

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of device; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, I show at W a conventional wrist watchhaving at its ends the usual band-retaining cross bars 5. While Ishalldescribe my device as a wrist watch band, it will be understood, ofcourse, that it is suitable for use to retain any element on the wrist,such as an identification tag or other element.

My improved wrist watch band consists generally of two opposed, curvedwrist-engaging strap elements or segments 1 and 8, each curved at itsupper end 9 to engage about one of the bars 5, so as to be swingablethereabout. The other ends of the straps overlap each other as will bedescribed.

Strap element 1, which I shall term the female element, is outwardlycurved from its end 9 about a substantial radius to a point I5 spacedinwardly from its free end, at which point it curves inwardly at It,having a slightly curved free end portion l1 and being provided betweenportions l6, IT with a slot 20 for the purpose to be described.

Strap element 8, which I call the male strap element, is likewise curvedoutwardly from its end 9 to a point 25 where, after a relatively shortradius curve 24, it curves inwardly at 26 to conform to the curvature ofportion l6 of strap 1, from which point it again curves outwardly at I8to conform to the curvature of portion l5 of strap I.

At a, point spaced inwardly from its free end, strap 8 tapers at 30(Fig. 2) to an end portion 35 of relatively narrow width capable ofpassing through the slot 20.

From the foregoing it Will be observed that when the strap elements I, 8are engaging about the wrist of a wearer and the end portion 35 of strap8 inserted through slot 20, the overlapping portion of strap 1 bearsdirectly against the wrist of the wearer and, by virtue of the fulcrumprovided by strap 8 bearing against the right-hand end wall of slot 20,the curved portions I6, 26 and I5, l8 are held together and caused tolock the straps about the wrist. The straps are preferably made of asomewhat resilient metal so that the lit about the wrist is a somewhatyieldable one. Typically, I make the straps from strips of Duraluminmetal.

To remove the band, the free end of strap 8 is pulled slightly outwardlyor away from strap 1 by the fingers, to disengage the cooperating curvedportions, and then the narrow portion 35 of strap 8 will passlongitudinally outwardly through the slot 28 until the straps aredisengaged from each other.

By virtue of the several cooperating curves of the strap elements, twosuccessive safety-locking positions are provided as shown in Figs. 4 and5, respectively. That is, in Fig. 5 the portion 26 of strap 8 fulcrumsin slot 20 while the free end bears against curved portion l5 ofstrap 1. In Fig. 4 curved portion l8 of strap 8 fulcrums in the slotwhile the free end portion bears against curved portion 16 of strap 1.It is readily possible by means of a suitable forming or bending tool tore-form the curves to conform to any given wrist size andshape.

In Figs. 6 and 7- I show'a variational form of the invention wherein theparts are as before described except that the overlapping portions ofthe straps 1 and 8 have longitudinally disposed interfitting embossedportions la, 8a, which not ing a pair of resilient? oppositely disposed,curved straps each having means-at itsinner end for pivotalattachment-to -awatch or the like; said straps being long enough tooverlap each other at their outer end-portions-when in positionencircling a wrist, oneofsaid' straps having a slottheretlriroughadjacentits outer end capable of passing the overlappingportion of the other strap whereby one wallof theslot provides a fulcrumfor said" other strap, and the overlapping portions of the straps havingregistering curved portions frictionally engageable against. each:

other.

2. A wristband for a watch or the like comprising a pair of resilient,oppositely disposed, curved straps each having means at its inner endfor pivotal attachment to a watch or the like and being long enough tooverlap each other at their outer end portions when in positionencircling a wrist, one of. the strapshaving adjacent its outer end aslot capable of passing the. overlapping portion of the other strap, andthe overlapping portions of both straps presenting serpentine-likeregistering curved portions frictionally engageable against each other.

3. A wristband for awatch or the like comprising a pair of resilient,oppositely disposed, curved straps each having means at its inner endfor pivotal attachment to a watch or the like and being long enough tooverlap each other at their outer end. portions when in positionencircling a wrist, one of the straps having adjacent its outer end aslot and the other strap having a relatively narrow outer end portionpassable through the slot into position overlapping and frictionally."

engaging the outer surface of the-other'strap adjaeent the slot,the'frictionally engaging-surfaces of the straps having cooperating,registering curved portions.

LYMAN A. TRUCKENMJLLER.

1REFERENCES CITED The following, references are. of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date:

276,091 Spicer: Apr. 17; 1883: 322,901 Chadwick July'28, 1885- 1,658,053Kollstede Feb; 7,:1928

